Butene isomerization process

ABSTRACT

An improved process is disclosed for the isomerization of butenes, using a catalyst comprising a non-zeolitic molecular sieve to increase the proportion of isobutene or of 1-butene in the product with low formation of undesirable by-products.

Cross Reference to Related Application

This application is a continuation-in-part of prior application Ser. No. 442,879 filed Nov. 29, 1989 now abandoned, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference thereto.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an improved process for the conversion of hydrocarbons, and more specifically for the catalytic isomerization of olefinic hydrocarbons.

2. General Background

Olefinic hydrocarbons are feedstocks for a variety of commercially important addition reactions to yield fuels, polymers, oxygenates and other chemical products. The specific olefin isomer, considering the position of the double bond or the degree of branching of the hydrocarbon, may be important to the efficiency of the chemical reaction or to the properties of the product. The distribution of isomers in a mixture of olefinic hydrocarbons is rarely optimum for a specific application. It is often desirable to isomerize olefins to increase the output of the desired isomer.

Butenes are among the most useful of the olefinic hydrocarbons having more than one isomer. A high-octane gasoline component is produced from a mixture of butenes in many petroleum refineries principally by alkylation with isobutene; 2-butenes (cis- and trans-) generally are the most desirable isomers for this application. Secondary-butyl alcohol and methylethyl ketone, as well as butadiene, are other important derivatives of 2-butenes. Demand for 1-butene has been growing rapidly based on its use as a comonomer for linear low-density polyethylene and as a monomer in polybutene production. Isobutene finds application in such products as methyl methacrylate, polyisobutene and butyl rubber. The most important derivative influencing isobutene demand and butene isomer requirements, however, is methyl t-butyl ether (MTBE) which is experiencing rapid growth in demand as a gasoline component.

Butene isomers rarely are obtained in a refinery or petrochemical product in a ratio matching product demand. In particular, there is a widespread need to increase the proportion of isobutene for MTBE production. Catalytic isomerization to alter the ratio of butene isomers is one solution to this need. Since MTBE is a fuel product and since isomerization competes with increased feedstock processing as a source of butene isomers, an isomerization process must be efficient and relatively inexpensive.

More specifically, a catalytic isomerization process must recognize olefin reactivity. Isobutene in particular readily forms oligomers which could require a reconversion step to yield monomer if produced in excess. The principal problem facing workers in the art therefore is to isomerize olefins to increase the concentration of the desired isomer while minimizing product losses to heavier or lighter products.

Related Art

Processes for the isomerization of olefinic hydrocarbons are widely known in the art. Many of these use catalysts comprising phosphate. U.S. Pat. No. 2,537,283 (Schaad), for example, teaches an isomerization process using an ammonium phosphate catalyst and discloses examples of butene and pentene isomerization. U.S. Pat. No. 3,211,801 (Holm et al.) discloses a method of preparing a catalyst comprising precipitated aluminum phosphate within a silica gel network and the use of this catalyst in the isomerization of butene-1 to butene-2. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,270,085 and 3,327,014 (Noddings et al.) teach an olefin isomerization process using a chromium-nickel phosphate catalyst, effective for isomerizing 1-butene and higher alpha-olefins. U.S. Pat. No. 3,304,343 (Mitsutani) reveals a process for double-bond transfer based on a catalyst of solid phosphoric acid on silica, and demonstrates effective results in isomerizing 1-butene to 2-butenes. U.S. Pat. No. 3,448,164 (Holm et al.) teaches skeletal isomerization of olefins to yield branched isomers using a catalyst containing aluminum phosphate and titanium compounds. U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,146 teaches isomerization of an aliphatic olefin, preferably 1-butene, with a catalyst consisting essentially of chromium and amorphous aluminum phosphate. None of the above references disclose the olefin-isomerization process using the non-zeolitic molecular sieve (NZMS) of the present invention.

The art also contains references to the related use of zeolitic molecular sieves. U.S. Pat. No. 3,723,564 (Tidwell et al.) teaches the isomerization of 1-butene to 2-butene using a zeolitic molecular sieve. U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,502 (Hayes et al.) discloses the isomerization of mono-olefins based on a catalyst comprising crystalline aluminosilicate in an alumina carrier with platinum-group and Group IV-A metallic components. U.S. Pat. No. 3,800,003 (Sobel) discloses the employment of a zeolite catalyst for butene isomerization. U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,832 (Butler et al.) teaches the use of a phosphorus-containing zeolite, in which the phosphorus has not been substituted for silicon or aluminum in the framework, for butene conversion. None of the above teach the use of NZMS for selective butene isomerization, and Butler et al. discloses high yields of heavier olefins from butenes at a range of temperatures with a phosphorus-containing zeolite.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,503,282 reveals a process for converting linear alkenes to isomerized alkenes using a crystalline borosilicate molecular sieve, with examples demonstrating the conversion of linear butenes to isobutene. The isomerization of olefins using NZMS, containing tetrahedral aluminum, phosphorus and at least one other element, has not been disclosed in the above references.

"Non-zeolitic molecular sieves" or "NZMSs" as referenced herein include the "SAPO" silicoaluminophosphates of U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,871 (Lok et al.), the "FAPO" ferroaluminophosphates of U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,143 (Messina et al.), and the metal aluminophosphates of U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,029 (Wilson et al.) wherein the metal is at least one of Mn, Co, Zn and Mg. The application of NZMS-containing catalyst to the isomerization of a C₈ aromatics stream is revealed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,740,650 (Pellet et al.). U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,138 teaches a process for isomerizing normal and slightly branched paraffins using a catalyst comprising SAPO molecular sieves. The use of MgAPSO compositions for hydrocarbon conversion is taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,038. However, none of these references discloses or suggests the isomerization of olefins using a catalyst containing NZMS and having the absence of a hydrogenation promoter.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Objects

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved process for the isomerization of olefinic hydrocarbons. A corollary objective of the invention is to minimize product losses from an olefin isomerization process.

Summary

This invention is based on the discovery that a catalytic isomerization process using a catalyst comprising at least one NZMS and having the absence of a platinum-group metal demonstrates surprising efficiency in converting 2-butene to isobutene or 1-butene in a butene-isomerization operation.

Embodiments

A broad embodiment of the present invention is directed to the catalytic isomerization of olefinic hydrocarbons using a catalyst containing at least one NZMS and having the absence of a hydrogenation promoter.

In a preferred embodiment, the feedstock to catalytic isomerization comprises principally butenes. In a highly preferred embodiment, the catalytic isomerization increases the concentration of isobutene in the product.

In another aspect, the NZMS of the catalyst comprises silicoaluminophosphates or "SAPO". In an alternative embodiment, the catalyst comprises a MgAPSO sieve.

These as well as other objects and embodiments will become apparent from the detailed description of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the approach to equilibrium isobutene concentration in the reactor product, relative to reaction temperature, when employing catalysts of the invention and of the prior art. The proportion of isobutene relative to total butenes for each test was divided by the equilibrium proportion of isobutene, calculated from APl Research Project 44, at the respective reaction temperature of the test.

FIG. 2 shows the yield of heavy (high-boiling) material as a percentage of total product, relative to the reaction temperature of each test, for catalysts of the invention and of the prior art. This figure thus indicates the loss of isobutene to heavy product in an isomerization process directed to isobutene reproduction.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

To reiterate, a broad embodiment of the present invention is directed to the catalytic isomerization of olefinic hydrocarbons using a catalyst containing at least one NZMS.

Process

According to the process of the present invention, an olefinic hydrocarbon charge stock is contacted with a catalyst containing at least one NZMS in a hydrocarbon isomerization zone. Contacting may be effected using the catalyst in a fixed-bed system, a moving-bed system, a fluidized-bed system, or in a batch-type operation. In view of the potential attrition loss of the valuable catalyst and of the operational advantages, a fixed-bed system is preferred. The conversion zone may be in one reactor or in separate reactors with suitable means therebetween to ensure that the desired isomerization temperature is maintained at the entrance to each reactor. The reactants may contact the catalyst in the liquid phase, a mixed vapor-liquid phase, or a vapor phase. Preferably, the reactants contact the catalyst in the vapor phase. the contact may be effected in each reactor in either an upward, downward, or radial-flow manner.

The charge stock may contact the catalyst in the absence of hydrogen or in presence of hydrogen in a molar ratio to charge stock of from about 0.01 to 5. Hydrogen may be supplied totally from outside the isomerization process, or the outside hydrogen may be supplemented by hydrogen separated from reaction products and recycled to the charge stock. Inert diluents such as nitrogen, argon, methane, ethane and the like may be present. Although the principal isomerization reaction does not consume hydrogen, there may be net consumption of hydrogen in such side reactions as cracking and olefin saturation. In addition, hydrogen may suppress the formation of carbonaceous compounds on the catalyst and enhance catalyst stability.

In the group of olefinic hydrocarbons suitable as feedstock to the catalytic isomerization process of the present invention, mono-olefins having from 4 to 10 carbon atoms per molecule are preferred. The mono-olefins should be present in the feedstock in a concentration of from about 0.5 to 100 mass %, and preferably from about 5 to 100 mass %. Butenes are an especially preferred feedstock. The feedstock should be rich in one or more of the linear butenes, i.e., 1-butene, cis-2-butene and trans-2-butene, if isobutene is the desired product. The olefins may be contained in product streams from petroleum-refining, synthetic-fuel, or petrochemical operations as catalytic cracking, thermal cracking, stream pyrolysis, oligomerization, and FischerTropsch synthesis. An advantageous feedstock for isobutene production is raffinate from an etherification process. These streams may require removal of polar contaminants such as sulfur, nitrogen or oxygen compounds by, e.g., extraction or adsorption to maintain isomerization-catalyst stability. Removal of dienes and acetylenes, e.g., by selective hydrogenation or polymerization, also may be desirable. In an alternative embodiment, from about 10 to 300 mass ppm of an organic chloride promoter may be added to the charge stock.

Isomerization conditions include reaction temperatures generally in the range of about 50° to 750° C. For the isomerization of butenes to increase the concentration of isobutene temperatures in the range of 200° to 600° C., and especially 250° to 400° C., are preferred. Selective butene isomerization to produce 1-butene is effected preferably at temperatures of from 50° to 300° C. Reactor operating pressures usually will range from about atmospheric to 50 atmospheres. The amount of catalyst in the reactors will provide an overall weight hourly space velocity of from about 0.5 to 100 hr⁻¹, and preferably from about 1 to 40 hr⁻¹.

The particular product-recovery scheme employed is not deemed to be critical to the present invention; any recovery scheme known in the art may be used. Typically, the reactor effluent will be condensed and the hydrogen and inerts removed therefrom by flash seperation. The condensed liquid product then is fractionated to remove light materials from the liquid product. The selected isomer, e.g., isobutene or 1-butene, may be separated from the liquid product by adsorption, fractionation, extraction or reaction. A preferred reaction for separation of isobutene is etherification for production of methyl or ethyl t-butyl ether. The raffinate from the separation step may be returned to the isomerization zone for further conversion to the selected isomer.

Catalyst

An essential component of the catalyst of the present invention is at least one non-zeolitic molecular sieve, also characterized as "NXMS" and defined in the instant invention to include molecular sieves containing framework tetrahedral units (TO₂) of aluminum (AlO₂), phosphorus (PO₂) and at least one additional element (EL) as a framework tetrahedral unit (ELO₂). "NZMS" includes the "SAPO" molecular sieves of U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,871, "ELAPSO" molecular sieves as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,984 and certain "MeAPO", "FAPO", "TAPO" and "MAPO" molecular sieves, as hereinafter described. Crystalline metal aluminophosphates (MeAPOs where "Me" is at least one of Mg, Mn, Co and Zn) are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,029, crystalline ferroaluminophosphates (FAPOs) are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,143, titanium aluminophosphates (TAPOs) are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,500,651, MAPO metal aluminophosphates wherein M is As, Be, B, Cr, Ga, Ge, Li or V are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,686,093, and binary metal aluminophosphates are described in Canadian Pat. No. 1,241,943. ELAPSO molecular sieves also are disclosed in patents drawn to species thereof, including but not limited GaAPSO as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,806, BeAPSO as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,737,353, CrAPSO as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,837, CoAPSO as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,970, MgAPSO as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,419 and MnAPSO as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,833. The aforementioned patents are incorporated herein by reference thereto. The nomenclature employed herein to refer to the members of the aforementioned NZMSs is consistent with that employed in the aforementioned applications or patents. A particular member of a class is generally referred to as a "-n" species wherein "n" is an integer, e.g., SAPO-11, MeAPO-11 and ELAPSO-31. In the following discussion on NZMSs set forth hereinafter the mole fraction of the NZMS are defined as compositional values which are plotted in phase diagrams in each of the identified patents, published applications or copending applications.

The preferred NZMSs are the silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieves described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,871. The silicoaluminophosphate molecular sieves are disclosed as microporous crystalline silicoaluminophosphates, having a three-dimensional microporous framework structure of PO₂ ⁺, AlO₂ ³¹ and SiO₂ tetrahedral units, and whose essential empirical chemical composition on an anhydrous basis is:

    mR:(Si.sub.x Al.sub.y P.sub.z)O.sub.2

wherein "R" represents at least one organic templating agent present in the intracrystalline pore system; "m" represents the moles of "R" present per mole of (Si_(x) Al_(y) P_(z))O₂ and has a value of from 0.02 to 0.3; "x", "y" and "z" represent, respectively, the mole fractions of silicon, aluminum and phosphorus present in the oxide moiety, said mole fractions being within the compositional area bounded by points A, B, C, D and E on the ternary diagram which is FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,871, and represent the following values for "x", "y" and "z":

    ______________________________________                                                Mole Fraction                                                           Point    x              y      z                                               ______________________________________                                         A        0.01           0.47   0.52                                            B        0.94           0.01   0.05                                            C        0.98           0.01   0.01                                            D        0.39           0.60   0.01                                            E        0.01           0.60   0.39                                            ______________________________________                                    

The silicoaluminophosphates of U.S. Pat. No. 4,440,871 are generally referred to therein as "SAPO" as a class, or as "SAPO-n" wherein "n" is an integer denoting a particular SAPO such as SAPO-11, SAPO-31, SAPO-40 and SAPO-41. The especially preferred species SAPO-11 as referred to herein is a silicoaluminophosphate having a characteristic X-ray powder diffraction pattern which contains at least the d-spacings set forth below:

    ______________________________________                                         SAPO-11                                                                                                   Relative                                              2r              d        Intensity                                           ______________________________________                                          9.4-9.65         9.41-9.17                                                                               m                                                    20.3-20.6        4.37-4.31                                                                               m                                                    21.0-21.3        4.23-4.17                                                                               vs                                                   21.1-22.35       4.02-3.99                                                                               m                                                    22.5-22.9 (doublet)                                                                             3.95-3.92                                                                               m                                                   23.15-23.35       3.84-3.81                                                                               m-s                                                 ______________________________________                                    

Ferroaluminophosphates are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,143, incorporated herein by reference, and have a three-dimensional microporous crystal framework structure of AlO₂, FeO₂, and PO₂ tetrahedral units and have an essential empirical chemical composition, on an anhydrous basis, of:

    mR:(Fe.sub.x Al.sub.y P.sub.z)O.sub.2

wherein "R" represents at least one organic templating agent present in the intracrystalline pore system; "m" represents the moles of "R" present per mole of (Fe_(x) Al_(y) P_(z))O₂ and has a value of from zero to 0.3, the maximum value in each case depending upon the molecular dimensions of the templating agent and the available void volume of the pore system of the particular ferroaluminophosphate involved; "x", "y", and "z" represent the mole fractions of iron, aluminum and phosphorus, respectively, present as tetrahedral oxides, representing the following values for "x", "y", and "z":

    ______________________________________                                                Mole Fraction                                                           Point    x              y      z                                               ______________________________________                                         A        0.01           0.60   0.39                                            B        0.01           0.39   0.60                                            C        0.35           0.05   0.60                                            D        0.35           0.60   0.05                                            ______________________________________                                    

When synthesized the minimum value of "m" in the formula above is 0.02. The iron of the FeO₂ structural units can be in either the ferric or ferrous valence state, depending largely upon the source of the iron in the synthesis gel. Thus, an FeO₂ tetrahedron in the structure can have a net charge of either -1 or -2. While it is believed that the Fe, Al and P framework constituents are present in tetrahedral coordination with oxygen (and are referred to herein as such), it is theoretically possible that some minor fraction of these framework constituents are present in coordination with five or six oxygen atoms. It is not, moreover, necessarily the case that all of the Fe, Al and/or P content of any given synthesized product is a part of the framework in the aforesaid types of coordination with oxygen. Some of each constituent may be merely occluded or in an yet undetermined form and may or may not be structurally significant.

For convenience in describing the ferroaluminophosphates, the "short-hand" acronym "FAPO" is sometimes employed hereinafter. To identify the various structural species which make up the generic class FAPO, each species is assigned a number and is identified, for example, as FAPO-11, FAPO-31 and so forth.

MeAPO molecular sieves are crystalline microporous aluminophosphates in which the substituent metal is one of a mixture of two or more divalent metals of the group magnesium, manganese, zinc and cobalt and are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,029. Members of this novel class of compositions have a three-dimensional microporous crystal framework structure of MO⁻² ₂, AlO⁻ ₂ and PO₂ + tetrahedral units and have an essential empirical chemical composition, on an anhydrous basis, of:

    mR:(M.sub.x Al.sub.y P.sub.z)O.sub.2

wherein "R" represents at least one organic templating agent present in the intracrystalline pore system; "m" represents the moles of "R" present per mole of (M_(x) Al_(y) P_(z))O₂ and has a value of from zero to 0.3, the maximum value in each case depending upon the molecular dimensions of the templating agent and the available void volume of the pore system of the particular metal aluminophosphate involved; "x", "y", and "z" represent the mole fractions of the metal "M", (i.e., magnesium, manganese, zinc and cobalt), aluminum and phosphorus, respectively, present as tetrahedral oxides, said mole fractions being such that they are within the following limiting values for "x", "y", and "z":

    ______________________________________                                                Mole Fraction                                                           Point    x              y      z                                               ______________________________________                                         A        0.01           0.60   0.39                                            B        0.01           0.39   0.60                                            C        0.35           0.05   0.60                                            D        0.35           0.60   0.05                                            ______________________________________                                    

When synthesized the minimum value of "m" in the formula above is 0.02.

The CoAPSO molecular sieves of U.S. Pat. No. 4,744,970 have three-dimensional microporous framework structures of CoO₂ ⁻², AlO₂ ⁻, PO₂ + and SiO₂ tetrahedral units and have an empirical chemical composition on an anhydrous basis expressed by the formula:

    mR:(Co.sub.w Al.sub.x P.sub.y Si.sub.z)O.sub.2

wherein "R" represents at least one organic templating agent present in the intracrystalline pore system; "m" represents the molar amount of "R" present per mole of (Co_(w) Al_(x) P_(y) Si_(z))O₂ and has a value of from zero to about 0.3; and "w", "x", "y" and "z" represent the mole fractions of cobalt, aluminum, phosphorus and silicon, respectively, present as tetrahedral oxides, where the mole fractions "w", "x", "y" and "z" are each at least 0.01 and are generally defined, as being within the limiting compositional values or points as follows:

    ______________________________________                                                Mole Fraction                                                           Point    x            y      (z + w)                                           ______________________________________                                         A        0.60         0.38   0.02                                              B        0.38         0.60   0.02                                              C        0.01         0.60   0.39                                              D        0.01         0.01   0.98                                              E        0.60         0.01   0.39                                              ______________________________________                                    

The MgAPSO molecular sieves of U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,419 have a framework structure of MgO₂ ⁻², AlO₂ ⁻, PO₂ ⁺, and SiO₂ tetrahedral units having an empirical chemical composition on an anhydrous basis expressed by the formula:

    mR:(Mg.sub.w Al.sub.x P.sub.y Si.sub.z)O.sub.2

wherein "R" represents at least one organic templating agent present in the intracrystalline pore system; "m" represents the molar amount of "R" present per mole of (Mg_(w) Al_(x) P_(y) Si_(z))O₂ and has a value of zero to about 0.3; and "w", "x", "y" and "z" represent the mole fractions of elemental magnesium, aluminum, phosphorus and silicon, respectively, present as tetrahedral oxides. The mole fractions "w", "x", "y" and "z" are generally defined as being within the limiting compositional values or points as follows:

    ______________________________________                                                Mole Fraction                                                           Point    x            y      (z + w)                                           ______________________________________                                         A        0.60         0.38   0.02                                              B        0.39         0.59   0.02                                              C        0.01         0.60   0.39                                              D        0.01         0.01   0.98                                              E        0.60         0.01   0.39                                              ______________________________________                                    

The MnAPSO molecular sieves of U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,833 have a framework structure of MnO₂ ⁻², AlO₂ ⁻, PO₂ ⁺, and SiO₂ tetrahedral units having an empirical chemical composition on an anhydrous basis expressed by the formula:

    mR:(Mn.sub.w Al.sub.x P.sub.y Si.sub.z)O.sub.2

wherein "R" represents at least one organic templating agent present in the intracrystalline pore system; "m" represents the molar amount of "R" present per mole of (Mn_(w) Al_(x) P_(y) Si_(z))O₂ and has a value of zero to about 0.3; and "w", "x", "y" and "z" represent the mole fractions of element manganese, aluminum, phosphorus and silicon, respectively, present as tetrahedral oxides. The mole fractions "w", "x", "y" and "z" are generally defined as being within the limiting compositional values or points as follows:

    ______________________________________                                                Mole Fraction                                                           Point    x            y      (z + w)                                           ______________________________________                                         A        0.60         0.38   0.02                                              B        0.38         0.60   0.02                                              C        0.01         0.60   0.39                                              D        0.01         0.01   0.98                                              E        0.60         0.01   0.39                                              ______________________________________                                    

It is within the scope of the invention that the catalyst comprises two or more NZMSs. Preferably the NZMSs are as a multi-compositional, multiphase composite having contiguous phases, a common crystal framework structure and exhibiting a distinct heterogeneity in composition, especially wherein one phase comprises a deposition substrate upon which another phase is deposited as an outer layer. Such composites are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,739, incorporated herein by reference thereto. In a highly preferred embodiment the layered catalyst comprises a crystalline aluminophosphate of U.S. Pat. 4,310,440 and a SAPO, especially ALPO-11 and SAPO-11.

The NZMS preferably is combined with a binder for convenient formation of catalyst particles. The binder should be porous, adsorptive support having a surface area of about 25 to about 500 m² /g, uniform in composition and relatively refractory to the conditions utilized in the hydrocarbon conversion process. By the term "uniform in composition," it is meant that the support be unlayered, have no concentration gradients of the species inherent to its composition, and be completely homogeneous in composition. Thus, if the support is a mixture of two or more refractory materials, the relative amounts of these materials will be constant and uniform throughout the entire support., It is intended to include within the scope of the present invention carrier materials which have traditionally been utilized in hydrocarbon conversion catalysts such as: (1) refractory inorganic oxides such as alumina, titanium dioxide, zirconium dioxide, chromium oxide, zinc oxide, magnesia, thoria, boria, silica-alumina, silica-magnesia, chromia-alumina, alumina-boria, silica-zirconia, etc.; (2) ceramics, porcelain, bauxite; (3) silica or silica gel, silicon carbide, clays and silicates including those synthetically prepared and naturally occurring, which may or may not be acid treated, for example attapulgus clay, diatomaceous earth, fuller's earth, kaolin, kieselguhr, etc.; (4) crystalline zeolitic aluminosilicates, either naturally occurring or synthetically prepared such as FAU, MEL, MFl, MOR, MTW (lUPAC Commission on Zeolite Nomenclature), in hydrogen form or in a form which has been exchanged with metal cations, (5) spinels such as MgAl₂ O₄, FeAl₂ O₄, ZnAl₂ O₄, CaAl₂ O₄, and other like compounds having the formula MO-Al₂ O₃ where M is a metal having a valence of 2; and (6) combinations of materials from one or more of these groups.

The preferred binder to effect a selective finished catalyst is a form of amorphous silica. The preferred amorphous silica is a synthetic, white, amorphous silica (silicon dioxide) powder which is classed as wet-process, hydrated silica. This type of silica is produced by a chemical reaction in a water solution, from which it is precipitated as ultra-fine, spherical particles. It is preferred that the BET surface area of the silica is in the range from about 120 to 160 m² /g. A low content of sulfate salts is desired, preferably less than 0.3 wt. %. It is especially preferred that the amorphous silica binder be nonacidic, e.g., that the pH of a 5% water suspension be neutral or basic (pH about 7 or above).

NZMS and binder are combined to form an extrudable dough, having the correct moisture content to allow for the formation of extrudates with acceptable integrity to withstand direct calcination. Extrudability is determined from an analysis of the moisture content of the dough, with a moisture content in the range of from 30 to 50 wt. % being preferred. Extrusion is performed in accordance with the techniques well known in the art. A multitude of different extrudate shapes are possible, including, but not limited to, cylinders, cloverleaf, dumbell and symmetrical and asymmetrical polylobates. It is also within the scope of this invention that the extrudates may be further shaped to any desired form, such as spheres, by any means known to the art.

Preferably the catalyst is substantially free of a hydrogenation promoter which would result in economically significant losses of olefins to paraffins through hydrogenation. The catalyst contains less than 100 mass parts per million (ppm) on an elemental basis of hydrogenation promoter, and optimally less than about 10 mass ppm. A hydrogenation promoter could comprise one or more Group Vlll metals, especially platinum-group metals including one or more of platinum, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium, osmium, and iridium. It is especially preferred that the catalyst be substantially free of platinum and palladium.

The catalyst of the present invention may contain a halogen component. The halogen component may be either fluorine, chlorine, bromine or iodine or mixtures thereof. Chlorine is the preferred halogen component. The halogen component is generally present in a combined state with the inorganic-oxide support. The halogen component is preferably well dispersed throughout the catalyst and may comprise from more than 0.2 to about 15 wt. %, calculated on an elemental basis, of the final catalyst.

The halogen component may be incorporated in the catalyst in any suitable manner, either during the preparation of the inorganic-oxide support or before, while or after other catalytic components are incorporated. For example, the carrier material may contain halogen and thus contribute at least some portion of the halogen content in the final catalyst. The halogen component or a portion thereof also may be added to the catalyst during the incorporation of other catalyst components into the support. Also, the halogen component or a portion thereof may be added to the catalyst by contacting with the halogen or a compound, solution, suspension or dispersion containing the halogen before or after other catalyst components are incorporated into the support. Suitable compounds containing the halogen include acids containing the halogen, e.g., hydrochloric acid. The halogen component or a portion thereof may be incorporated by contacting the catalyst with a compound, solution, suspension or dispersion containing the halogen in a subsequent catalyst regeneration step. The catalyst composite is dried at a temperature of from about 100° to about 320° C. for a period of from about 2 to about 24 or more hours and calcined at a temperature of from 400° to about 650° C. in an air atmosphere for a period of from about 0.1 to about 10 hours. The optional halogen component may be adjusted by including a halogen or halogen-containing compound in the air atmosphere.

EXAMPLES

The following examples are presented to demonstrate the present invention and to illustrate certain specific embodiments thereof. These examples should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention as set forth in the claims. There are many possible other variations, as those of ordinary skill in the art will recognize, which are within the spirit of the invention.

The examples illustrate the conversion of a feedstock rich in 2-butenes to isobutene and 1-butene over catalysts of the invention and of the prior art with reaction temperature as the principal variable. The composition of the feedstock was as follows in mass %:

    ______________________________________                                         Butanes          0.497                                                         Isobutene        0.538                                                         2-butenes        94.747                                                        Heavy components 4.217                                                         ______________________________________                                    

Product yields are expressed as mass % of the total products. The approach to equilibrium butene-isomer distribution was determined by reference to equilibrium values calculated from free energies of formation contained in "Selected Values of Physical and Thermodynamic Properties of Hydrocarbons and Related Compounds," API Research Project 44 (1953). This approach to equilibrium is expressed for isomerization to isobutene in FIG. 1 as % of isobutene equilibrium relative to reaction temperature.

Catalysts were evaluated using a 1/2-inch stainless-steel tube as a micro-reactor. One gram of catalyst as powder was placed in the reactor. Butene-rich feedstock was charged to the reactor at its vapor pressure at 70° F. by a syringe pump. The reaction temperature was monitored by a thermocouple in the catalyst bed and controlled by heating the reactor in a fluidized sandbath. Sandbath temperature was controlled by a thermocouple. The liquid products were analyzed by vapor-phase chromatography.

Catalyst performance was compared using a Figure of Merit, or FOM. FOM is obtained by multiplying the mass percent of desired product (isobutene or 1-butene) in the total reactor products by the ratio of (desired product)/(desired product plus light plus heavy byproducts). The first term is a measure of conversion as well as selectivity, while the second term reflects selectivity. Thus, FOM is a measure of conversion and selectivity with an emphasis on selectivity. FOM is reported hereinbelow at the reactor temperature at which it reaches its maximum value for each of the catalysts.

EXAMPLE I

The process of the present invention was demonstrated by effecting isomerization of 2-butene to isobutene over SAPO-11 catalyst. SAPO-11 catalyst is characterized as described hereinabove, and the specific catalyst samples used in these tests had the following approximate properties:

    ______________________________________                                         Composition, mass %: Al.sub.2 O.sub.3                                                               41.7                                                      P.sub.2 O.sub.5      50.5                                                      SiO.sub.2            7.8                                                                            100.0                                                     ______________________________________                                    

The 2-butene-rich feedstock described above was charged to the microreactor, operating at atmospheric pressure. Reaction temperature was increased in a series of steps, and two or more product analyses were performed at each temperature. The results shown below represent average results at each temperature:

    ______________________________________                                         Temperature, °C.                                                                      260°                                                                           318°                                                                               343°                                                                         370°                               ______________________________________                                         WHSV          2.2    1.5        4.7  5.2                                       Products, mass %                                                               C.sub.3 and lighter                                                                          0.1    1.0        2.7  2.2                                       Butanes       2.5    2.8        3.5  2.8                                       Isobutene     9.6    13.2       26.7 23.4                                      1-butene      15.8   13.2       11.8 11.1                                      2-butenes     66.0   53.8       38.1 37.8                                      C.sub.5 and heavier                                                                          6.0    16.0       17.2 22.7                                      ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE II

A control of the prior art was developed to contrast with the process of the present invention. A zeolitic molecular-sieve catalyst was tested for the isomerization of 2-butene to isobutene. The catalyst had the following approximate characteristics:

    ______________________________________                                         Composition, mass %: Al.sub.2 O.sub.3                                                               4.3                                                       SiO.sub.2            95.6                                                      CaO                  0.1                                                                            100.0                                                     ______________________________________                                    

Tests were performed and results measured using the feedstock and procedures of Example I. Results were as follows:

    ______________________________________                                         Temperature, °C.                                                                      261°  290°                                                                           317°                                  ______________________________________                                         WHSV          2.9          5.0    4.1                                          Products, mass %:                                                              C.sub.3 and lighter                                                                          1.0          3.6    1.0                                          Butanes       0.9          2.0    0.5                                          Isobutene     1.1          3.0    1.2                                          1-butene      14.2         4.7    1.9                                          2-butenes     74.5         16.5   7.4                                          C.sub.5 and heavier                                                                          8.3          70.2   88.0                                         ______________________________________                                    

Temperatures were not increased above 320° C., as the proportion of isomerization became irrelevant due to the increasing predominance of the reaction forming heavy components.

EXAMPLE III

The test results used to develop Examples I and II were compared with equilibrium isomer values based on the aforementioned API Research Project 44, and the results were plotted in FIG. 1. Data based on individual tests are shown in FIG. 1, whereas the tables of Examples I and II are based on averages of test results at substantially equivalent temperatures.

The process based on the catalyst of the invention achieves a substantially higher conversion to isobutene than the catalyst of the prior art. The equilibrium data understate the advantage of the present invention; due to the high yield of heavy product when using the prior-art catalyst.

FIG. 2 shows the yield of heavy (high boiling) material relative to reaction temperature for processes using the catalysts of both the present invention and the prior art. At temperatures of 290° C. and above, where isomerization to isobutene becomes significant, the present invention avoids the predominant reaction to heavy product of the prior art.

The comparative maximum FOM and corresponding temperatures were as follows, with two data points presented to show a range of operating temperatures:

    ______________________________________                                                   SAPO-11 (Invention)                                                                         Zeolite (Prior Art)                                     ______________________________________                                         FOM         15.5     17.6      0.2    0.3                                      Temperature °C.                                                                     288°                                                                             344°                                                                              261°                                                                           291°                              ______________________________________                                    

EXAMPLE IV

The process of the present invention was demonstrated using FAPO-11 and FAPO-31 catalysts for 1-butene production from 2-butene. FAPO catalysts are described earlier in this specification, and the specific catalyst samples used in these tests had the following approximate properties:

    ______________________________________                                                          FAPO-11                                                                               FAPO-31                                                ______________________________________                                         Composition, mass %: Al.sub.2 O.sub.3                                                             37.3     39.7                                               P.sub.2 O.sub.5    57.1     50.1                                               Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3   5.6      10.2                                                                  100.0    100.0                                              ______________________________________                                    

Tests were performed using the feedstock and procedures of Example I, with the exception that conversion to 1-butene with minimum isobutene by-product was achieved at lower temperatures. Results were as follows:

    ______________________________________                                                  FAPO-11      FAPO-31                                                  ______________________________________                                         Temperature, °C.                                                                   148°                                                                            203°                                                                           260°                                                                          149°                                                                         205°                                                                          260°                         WHSV       3.1     3.6    2.9   4.1  2.7   4.4                                 Products, mass %                                                               C.sub.3 and lighter                                                                       0.0     0.0    0.0   0.0  0.0   0.0                                 Butanes    0.5     0.5    0.5   0.6  0.5   0.6                                 Isobutene  0.0     0.0    1.5   0.0  0.0   0.2                                 1-butene   1.9     10.0   17.3  4.8  13.8  17.4                                2-butenes  94.1    86.4   75.9  90.1 79.0  73.6                                C.sub.5 and heavier                                                                       3.5     3.1    4.8   4.5  6.7   8.2                                 ______________________________________                                    

The yield of 1-butene at reaction temperatures of above 200° is above equilibrium-concentration values. By-product isobutene varies from nil to less than 10% of 1-butene within the ranges shown.

The maximum FOM and corresponding temperatures were as follows, using 1-butene yield as the criterion and designating difficult-to-separate isobutene as a byproduct:

    ______________________________________                                                        FAPO-11                                                                               FAPO-31                                                  ______________________________________                                         FOM              13.0     12.7                                                 Temperature, °C.                                                                         260°                                                                             261°                                          ______________________________________                                     

We claim:
 1. A process for the isomerization of butenes which comprises contacting a butene-containing feedstock at isomerization conditions with a catalyst containing at least one NZMS and having the substantial absence of a platinum-group metal to provide a product containing at least one butene isomer in greater concentration than in the feedstock.
 2. The process of Claim 1 wherein the butene isomer comprises isobutene.
 3. The process of Claim 1 wherein the butene isomer comprises 1-butene.
 4. The process of Claim 1 wherein the isomerization is carried out in the presence of free hydrogen.
 5. The process of Claim 1 wherein the isomerization conditions comprise a temperature of from about 200° to 600° C., a pressure of from about atmospheric to 50 atmospheres, and a weight hourly space velocity of from about 0.5 to 100 hr⁻¹.
 6. The process of Claim 1 wherein the NZMS is selected from the group consisting of SAPOs, FAPOs, CoAPSOs, MnAPSOs, MgAPSOs and mixtures thereof.
 7. The process of Claim 1 wherein the NZMS is selected from the group consisting of SAPO-11, SAPO-31 and SAPO-41.
 8. The process of Claim 1 wherein the NZMS is SAPO-11.
 9. The process of Claim 1 wherein the NZMS is selected from FAPO-11, FAPO-31, FAPO-41 and mixtures thereof.
 10. The process of Claim 1 wherein the catalyst comprises an inorganic oxide matrix component.
 11. The process of Claim 10 wherein the inorganic oxide matrix comprises silica.
 12. The process of Claim 10 wherein the catalyst comprises a halogen component.
 13. A process for the isomerization of butenes which comprises contacting a butene-containing feedstock at isomerization conditions with a catalyst containing at least one NZMS and having the substantial absence of a hydrogenation promoter to provide a product containing at least one butene isomer in greater concentration than in the feedstock.
 14. A process for the skeletal isomerization of butenes which comprises contacting a feedstock containing linear butenes at isomerization conditions with a catalyst containing at least one NZMS and having the substantial absence of a hydrogenation promoter to provide a product containing a greater concentration of isobutene than in the feed stream.
 15. The process of Claim 14 wherein the feedstock comprises a raffinate from an etherification process. 